7th annual Mary E. Smith Foundation 5K educates and celebrates lives

Team Nya at the 7th Annual Mary E. Smith Brain Tumor Awareness Fun Run/Walk - Photo Credit: Eddy "Precise" Lamarre
Team Nya at the 7th Annual Mary E. Smith foundation Brain Tumor Awareness Fun Run/Walk – (Photo credit: Eddy “Precise” Lamarre for Steed Media)

The seventh annual Mary E. Smith Brain Tumor Awareness Fun Run/Walk was held in Country Club Hills Illinois. People came out to celebrate the lives of those who have been affected by this horrible disease. The Country Club Hills outdoor trail was lined with runners and walkers ready to pay tribute to family and friends. It was a beautiful day to show support, love and educate.


According to the American Brain Tumor Association, brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer related deaths in children (male and females) under the age of 20. Nearly 78,000 new cases of primary brain tumors are expected to be diagnosed this year. This figure includes nearly 25,000 primary malignant and 53,000 non-alignant brain tumors. Those staggering numbers indicate that awareness is important and a cure for cancer must be found.


Tiffany Woodson founder of Mary E. Smith Foundation - 7th Annual Mary E. Smith Brain Tumor Awareness Fun Run/Walk - Photo Credit: Eddy "Precise" Lamarre
Tiffany Woodson founder of Mary E. Smith Foundation – 7th Annual Mary E. Smith Brain Tumor Awareness Fun Run/Walk (Photo credit: Eddy “Precise” Lamarre for Steed Media)

We spoke with Tiffany Woodson, founder of the Mary E. Smith Foundation about the importance of early diagnosis. “We do this so that more people are aware of the signs and symptoms, so that they do not have to experience the hardship that my family had to experience. What people need to know is that a brain tumor can be benign or malignant. They need to take to heart the symptoms. My mom hid her symptoms. When there are changes in your body, you need to take notice. When we found out about my mom, she died four days later. If we would have found out earlier, maybe things would have been different,” she said

Balloons were released into the sky representing loved ones who have been lost but not forgotten. Education is the key to stopping this.


Review the list of symptoms below as listed by the ABTA.

People with brain tumors often suffer from:

  • Headaches
  • Seizures
  • Sensory (touch) and motor (movement control) loss
  • Deep venous thrombosis (DVT, or blood clot)
  • Hearing loss
  • Vision loss
  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Behavioral and cognitive (thinking) changes
  • Endocrine dysfunction (hormone/gland changes)

Take a look at a few pics from the event.

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